The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 369 - 348 Steady and Methodical_1

Chapter 369: Chapter 348 Steady and Methodical_1

Xuan You Continent, Yin Spirit Temple.

The return of Dong Tianze, with his mid-Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation, brought unexpected joy to Sect Leader Han Zhiyuan.

"I’m only at the late stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm, just one step away from advancing to Soul Wandering. And you..."

Within the cave dwelling, the emaciated Han Zhiyuan rubbed his hands excitedly, then suddenly expressed concern, "Young man, are you still willing to stay at the temple?"

Dong Tianze was puzzled, "Master, what do you mean?"

"Among the many Heavenly Phoenix Guards, you should be the most outstanding one. You can now leave the Yin Spirit Temple and try to connect with that person, to see if he can arrange a place for you higher up."

"Perhaps, in a Sect or power of the Second Realm or the First Realm, to seek the position of a Guest Elder?"

Han Zhiyuan gave a bitter smile and sighed, "For you now, the doors of Yin Spirit Temple are too narrow."

"And there’s more..."

After thinking it over, Han Zhiyuan continued, "The great war of the Third Realm is about to erupt, and the Alien Tribes will launch a powerful assault on this realm, accompanied by the contamination of Filth Alien Power. You are a promising cultivator, with a powerful figure backing you; there’s no need to stay in the temple, fighting desperately against those lowly Alien Tribes from the Lower Realm."

"For now, I would like to stay at the temple," said Dong Tianze.

"The situation below is treacherous and unpredictable. I don’t know what will happen, and I fear I won’t be able to protect you completely," Han Zhiyuan said earnestly, "The great figures of the First Realm, with their ships sinking one after another, I can only obey orders from others. If you stay, you’ll have to accept assignments. I’m worried you won’t adapt."

Dong Tianze nodded, "I understand."

After a pause, he asked, "Master, does our Sect have any Spirit Spells or Secret Skills for refining the body?"

Han Zhiyuan was taken aback, "Our Yin Spirit Temple has never placed much emphasis on this aspect of training. Techniques for tempering the flesh belong to the field of expertise of Blood Moon. Why do you suddenly ask this?"

"Blood Moon?"

Dong Tianze’s brows twitched. He had heard some theories that Blood Moon and Yin Spirit Temple shared the same origin. He thought to himself, "The body-refining techniques of Blood Moon must be the most suitable method for me."

"Sect Leader!"

Outside the cave dwelling, Liu Yan came to pay his respects and said, "Someone wants to see both you and Dong. He is in the temple!"

"Who is it?"

Han Zhiyuan’s expression changed, knowing a major figure must have arrived.

With reverence, Liu Yan said, "From the Bright Heaven Divine Kingdom, the Break Armor Marquis, Li Wei!"

Dong Tianze frowned slightly.

"You?"

Han Zhiyuan’s expression turned grave, "Is his visit related to you?"

"His son, Li Yuanchen, also went to the Absolute Sky Forbidden Land and got lost in the Mysterious Fog. People of the Desolated Terrains have mentioned him," Dong Tianze said calmly.

"No trouble, right?"

"No."

Dong Tianze shook his head.

"Alright, I’ll take you to meet him."

A moment later, in the guest hall of the Yin Spirit Temple.

The Break Armor Marquis Li Wei, a man of handsome appearance, squinted his eyes as he drank fragrant tea, listening to Dong Tianze’s account.

"My son, together with the Busted Armour, lost in the Mysterious Fog, is likely more unlucky than not?"

Li Wei set down his teacup, his handsome face full of lamentation as he said gloomily, "According to what you said, people of the Desolated Terrains have encountered the Busted Armour in the Mysterious Fog?"

"Yes, the Busted Armour was empty," said Dong Tianze, looking down.

"Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect said the same thing. Qi Qingsong of the Sword Tower and Zhuang Yuyan both had similar accounts."

Li Wei nodded, and after giving Dong Tianze a deep look at the center of his forehead, he said, "A Heavenly Phoenix Guard, not bad."

He then stood up and left.

Dong Tianze remained composed.

He had known this day would come, so when drifting in the Mysterious Fog near the Purgatory, he convinced Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen to eliminate everyone, including Fang Boxuan.

Otherwise, seeing Pang Jian capture Li Yuanchen and use the soul-searching technique to erase Li Yuanchen’s memory, along with Fang Boxuan, who had grown apart from them, there was a chance they might betray them.

If that were to happen, those who left the Mysterious Fog alive would soon suffer the wrath of the Break Armor Marquis.

Li Chu of the Desolated Terrains would certainly not let the matter rest.

...

The same event was replaying constantly with Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect, and with Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi of Red Mountain.

Li Chu of the Desolated Terrains had personally gone to the Demon Sect to inquire about Fu Wangchen’s whereabouts.

He learned that Fu Wangchen and others died tragically in the mouth of a level eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon in the Absolute Sky Forbidden Land.

Zhou Qingchen had also been questioned by the people of Sky Water Swamp and Black Valley. The information he gave aligned with what Wu Yuan, Dong Tianze, Zhuang Yuyan, and Qi Qingsong had reported.

Those who returned from the Mysterious Fog had brought back intel about Alien Gods of the outer realms ambushing Human True Gods in the external Star River, and for this, they were credited with great contributions.

Since their accounts raised no issues, the various factions ceased further investigation.

...

Panshi Fragment Land.

Pang Jian, at the Great Perfection of the Refined Blood Realm, was step by step refining his spiritual soul using the methods recorded in the Pot Heaven Nourishing Qi Spell for the Spirit Condensation Realm.

But he soon realized that the Spirit Condensation refining techniques recorded in the Pot Heaven Nourishing Qi Spell did not benefit his spiritual soul at all.

His newly formed golden spiritual soul could withstand wind and sun and could even leave his body directly.

"Pot Heaven Nourishing Qi Spell," a simple soul refining technique with a few straightforward steps, proved to be of little effectiveness.

"Afterwards, either comprehend the Thunder Pond’s Dao Marks, or seek the complete magic spell at Sword Tower."

Pang Jian hesitated for a while.

During this time, the Eight Leaves of Life existing in his heart, bestowed by the Corrosion Boundary Vine, gained many peculiarities.

Deep within the Cloud Wilderness.

"Whoosh!"

Utilizing the innate mysteries of the Eight Leaves of Life, he didn’t spread out the perceptive abilities of his spiritual soul; instead, all the trees and flowers within dozens of miles became his informants.

He could view scenes within an area through the leaves, branches, and weeds.

In vegetation-dense forest combat, he now had a significant advantage.

Moreover, even without the Corrosion Boundary Vine to energize the Leaves of Life, he could extract Plant Spirit Energy from the flora and infuse it into the Leaves of Life to heal himself.

Initially, when he was in the Mysterious Fog and couldn’t communicate with the Corrosion Boundary Vine, if he had had this ability as his life force was running out, he would have been able to replenish his power through the forests of the Absolute Sky Forbidden Land.

"It’s a pity it came a bit too late," Pang Jian murmured softly.

According to the Corrosion Boundary Vine, with its next transformation, Pang Jian would be able to control the forest plants like it did, directly through the Leaves of Life.

Just like a true member of the Wood Tribe.

Several days later.

Having become exhausted every time he attempted to perceive the Dao Marks of Thunder Pond with little gain, Pang Jian decided to make a trip to Sword Tower first to seek the spells following the "Great Creation Sacred Body" and "Pot Heaven Nourishing Qi Spell."

He drifted away from the Panshi Fragmented Lands below the sea of clouds to the Meteorite Sea, casually picking an unoccupied fragment of rock to settle on.

"Pang Jian!"

Someone called out in surprise, approaching suddenly.

Just as Pang Jian, about to take out his Sword Command to communicate, frowned and looked towards the unfamiliar approaching individual cultivator, he asked, "Have we met before?"

He had chosen a fragment of rock with no individual cultivators nearby, and as this person was far from him, he hadn’t paid much attention, yet he was still recognized instantly.

"Now that you’re of high status, it’s common for important people to forget things."

The newcomer said with a grin, constantly adjusting his figure and facial features, quickly transforming into one with a weasel-like appearance.

"Huang Qi!"

Pang Jian finally realized who it was.

"It’s been years since we parted ways at Yuan Mang Fragmented Lands; you first became a disciple of Sword Tower, and later became the direct disciple of the Tower Master," Huang Qi said with many emotions. "As for me, I’m still a small individual cultivator with no Sect backing me."

"The current Third Realm is about to become a bloody battlefield where the higher-ups and Alien Tribes clash. I can’t stand the lofty attitudes of those big shots, so I’ve chosen to hide out here instead of showing my face."

"Tsk, they think by offering some high-tier pills and Spiritual Artifacts, they can command everyone to charge into battle for them."

"I’m not falling for that," Huang Qi said, drawing closer.

After looking at Pang Jian for a moment, his expression changed slightly, "I heard you went to the Mysterious Fog and also heard you were dead for over two years. And then, a few days ago, I heard you and several others had come back to life."

"What exactly happened?"

"Fu Wangchen from the Desolated Terrains, the son of Break Armor Marquis, Li Wei, and Lu Lingchan from Black Valley—how did all those peerless geniuses from the First Realm and Second Realm die inside?"

Huang Qi was full of questions.

Pang Jian asked curiously, "What are others saying?"

"They say Li Yuanchen got lost and died in the Mysterious Fog, Lu Lingchan and the people from Black Valley turned into some living dead, ultimately turning to ash and nothingness. Fu Wangchen and Demon Sect’s Chen Lushi, as well as Jiang Chao from Sky Water Swamp, were devoured by an Ice Armor Eel Dragon that was at level eight," Huang Qi recounted, sharing all the information he had with Pang Jian.

Pang Jian was astonished.

He had some worries before, but it turned out even Demon Sect’s Wu Yuan and others like Qi Qingsong concealed all the details that could potentially harm him.

"Kid, what realm have you reached now?" Huang Qi inquired.

"I’ve just reached Spirit Condensation."

"Spirit Condensation? You’ve reached Spirit Condensation already? I remember when I first saw you in the trading area of Yuan Mang, you were only at the late stage of the Innate Realm!"

Huang Qi was profoundly shocked and exclaimed, "No wonder the Tower Master of Sword Tower took you as his direct disciple. It really is frustrating to compare oneself with others."

The two chatted idly.

Through him, Pang Jian learned that various powers from the First Realm had already established themselves in Universe Heaven and Black Nether continents.

Raging Sun Sect, Red Mountain, Blood Moon, Star River Alliance, and Yin Spirit Temple—these five major powers were all under the control of people from above.

Some distinctly special Fragment Lands had also been claimed by powerful beings who were now constructing lethal arrays.

The people from above brought numerous high-level Spiritual Artifacts and pills, along with divine-level treasures, preparing to reward those who killed many from the Alien Tribes and their Sects.

Individual cultivators who had made contributions would also be given artifacts and pills and offered the status of Guest Elder in a Sect.

Many individual cultivators who wanted a formal identity, like Individual Cultivator Dongye, Lian Feng, and Lei Kun, took the initiative to profess allegiance, trying to climb up the ranks.

There were also cultivators who feared becoming cannon fodder and didn’t wish to be drafted, choosing to survive in uninhabited areas instead.

"Alas, I was hanging around in the Second Realm before this. I came down to the Lower Realm to seek revenge on Cao Mang, and just as I was planning to return, I unfortunately stumbled upon this situation," said Huang Qi with a troubled look. "In the past, ships willing to transport us between the Second and Third Realms no longer care about us. There’s no way back up now."

"I’ll take you back up," Pang Jian said.

...